{"project": {
"benefits": "The Lunar Organic Waste Recycler can also be a valuable tool wherever organic wastes or other low cost biomass are available for conversion to synthesis gas. Corn stover, for example, is currently available commercially in large quantities for $40/tonne. If converted into synthesis gas, each tonne of corn stover can provide enough carbon monoxide and to make about 700 kg of methanol, which at current spot market prices would sell for about $200. Methanol is currently used as a major commodity in the chemical industry and could be used a motor vehicle fuel in flex fuel cars. The LOWR could similarly be used to transform other crop and forestry residues, as well as urban paper, plastic, and metabolic wastes into synthesis gas for production of methane or liquid hydrocarbon fuels via Fischer Tropsch processes. Thus LOWR technology could become the basis for highly profitable industries which make a significant contribution towards the vital national goal of freeing the nation from its dependence on foreign oil. The LOWR can be built on a modest scale making it readily transportable by truck, ship, or airplane. This makes it ideal for use in remote locations such as military outposts or third world villages which need to obtain fuel without ready access to ordinary commercial suppliers. Methane from remotely operated LOWR-derived units could be used to generate power in on site gas turbines, for motor vehicle fuel, or for cooking or other purposes",
"programDirectors": {"programDirector": "Therese Griebel"},
"responsibleProgram": "SBIR/STTR",
"workLocations": {"workLocation": [
"Alabama",
"Colorado",
"Florida",
"Ohio"
]},
"endDate": "Jun 2013",
"primaryTas": {"technologyAreas": [
{
"code": 7,
"name": "Human Exploration Destination Systems",
"id": 3245
},
{
"code": 7.1,
"name": "In-Situ Resource Utilization",
"id": 3293
}
]},
"programManagers": {"programManager": "Carlos Torrez"},
"projectManagers": {"projectManager": [
"Bryan A Palaszewski",
"Gary Jahns"
]},
"description": "The Lunar Organic Waste Reformer (LOWR) utilizes high temperature steam reformation to convert all plastic, paper, and human waste materials into useful gases. In the LOWR, solar thermal concentrators are used to heat steam directly to 600 C, after which the steam is mixed with a small amount of oxygen and injected into a reactor which is being fed with waste materials via a lock hopper. At the high temperatures, the oxygenated steam will react with all organic materials to produce a gas mixture largely composed of hydrogen, CO and carbon dioxide. After removing the remaining steam from the product stream via condensation, the gases are dusulfurized and then fed to a catalytic reactor where they can be combined with hydrogen to produce methane, methanol, or other fuels. Both the necessary hydrogen and oxygen for the process can be produced by electrolysis of part of the water content of the waste material, which is extracted from the wastes directly by the reformer itself. With effective recycling of the steam, no consumables are lost in the process. All products are liquids or gases, making the system highly reliable and subject to automation. In the proposed Phase 2 program, Pioneer Astronautics will build a full-scale end-to-end LOWR system capable of turning 10 kg of waste per day into methane and oxygen.",
"technologyMaturityCurrent": 3,
"title": "Lunar Organic Waste Reformer, Phase II",
"leadOrganization": {
"acronym": "GRC",
"city": "Cleveland",
"name": "Glenn Research Center",
"state": "OH",
"type": "NASA Center"
},
"technologyMaturityEnd": 5,
"additionalTas": {"technologyAreas": {
"code": 6,
"name": "Human Health, Life Support, and Habitation Systems",
"id": 3244
}},
"principalInvestigators": {"principalInvestigator": "Robert Zubrin"},
"lastUpdated": "2017-09-16",
"supportingOrganizations": {"organization": [
{
"acronym": "KSC",
"city": "Kennedy Space Center",
"name": "Kennedy Space Center",
"state": "FL",
"type": "NASA Center"
},
{
"acronym": "MSFC",
"city": "Huntsville",
"name": "Marshall Space Flight Center",
"state": "AL",
"type": "NASA Center"
},
{
"city": "Lakewood",
"name": "Pioneer Astronautics",
"state": "CO",
"type": "Industry"
}
]},
"library": "",
"technologyMaturityStart": 3,
"responsibleMissionDirectorateOrOffice": "Space Technology Mission Directorate",
"id": 8983,
"startDate": "Jun 2011",
"status": "Completed"
}}